When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long.

When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the

earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have

been, and there you will always long to return (Leonardi Da

Vinci).

First airplane flight 1903 (Wright Brothers)

First non-stop Atlantic

Crossing 1927 (Charles

Lindbergh)

First non-stop around the world flight 1986 (Jeana Yeager and Dick Rutan)

But…

STIGMA

DISCRIMINATION

STIGMA REMAINED

Take away all stigma around hearing loss

The Vision

The Dream

To circumnavigate earth in a light aircraft!

The expedition

The route

Media

Meeting with HoH

Meeting with HoH

WFH in brief

• First world wide campaign to destigmatize hearing loss

• 45 sponsors (GN ReSound as main sponsor)

• 25 partner organisations (HRF as main partner)

• Media exposure in 25 countries

• 135 inspiration lectures in 16 countries

The project

• World unique flight expedition

• Aircraft: Extra equipped Diamond TwinStar with 2 diesel 135 horse power Thielert engines

• 6 300 kilometres to travel in a light aircraft

• 60 stops in 31 counties• Longest leg: 3960

kilometres• Highest altitude: 5791

metres

The expedition

Very important sponsors and partners

15 mars

Hearing aids fitted per 1000 inhabitants (2005)

Around the world with hearing loss

– Global challanges and issues

Sweden (glimpse 1)

Israel (glimpse 2)

Vietnam (glimpse 3)

Quick facts about Sweden

• Approximately 9,1 million inhabitants• Country size: 449 964 square kilometres (third

largest country by area in Western Europe)• Capital: Stockholm• Language: Swedish• Politics: Constitutional

monarchy (King Carl XVI Gustaf is head os state). Governed by a parliament.

Hard of hearing in Sweden

• The Swedish organization of hard of hearing people (HRF) has 37 000 members, organised into 211 local clubs in 22 districts.

• Governmently funded hearing aids• Limited access to assistive listening devices through

government• School system for hard of hearing children is developing• Aiming for 100% sub titling in Swedish television (there

is a political will)• A national governmently initiated program to improve

accesibility in Sweden until 2010 (progressing slowly) • ”Old” laws that discriminate hard of hearing people from

jobs (pilot, police, fireman, nurse etc)• Stigma exists to a wide extent. Less than one third of

the hard of hearing people use harding aids (despite hearing aids are almost for free)

Fasten seat belt

Expedition start2006-03-15

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Over AlbaniaMarch 19th

15 marsGreece March 20th

15 marsMarch 21stGreece

High School in Tel Aviv March 27th

Presentation at BEKOL in Tel Aviv, Israel

March 27th

Glimpse from Israel

By Ahiya Kamera

Director BEKOL

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OmanApril 10th

Lectures in Oman

April 10th

Deaf or not deaf?

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Nepal

April 28thVietnam – Ho Chi Minh City

Glimpse from Vietnam

By Hanh Duong Phuond, DRD (Disability Resource and

Development) in Ho Chi Minh City

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Over Australia

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Australia

25th of May to 2nd of June

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Airplane modifications in Australia

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FijiJune 9th

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Pacific Ocean Crossing

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Pacific Ocean Crossing

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Västra Samoa14 juniPacific Ocean Crossing

Western Samoa

15 marsFlight to Christmas Island

15 marsPacific Ocean CrossingChristmas Island

June 16th

15 marsJune 19thPacific Ocean CrossingHawaii

July 13thCentral AmericaBlue hole, Belize

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Paraguana, VenezuelaJuly 16th

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St Martin in CaribbeanJuly 20th

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BahamasJuly 24th

Oshkosh – huge AirShow in USA

July 27th to 31st

Oshkosh

27-31 July

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Niagara fallsAugust 4th

Canada

July 4th to 7th

15 marsWFH crew in Goose Bay, Canada August 9th

15 marsApproaching NarsarsuaqGreenland

August 9th

15 marsOver Greenland

Iceland

August 12th to 16th

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Approaching goal line – Shetland islands

GOAL!August 19th, 2006

Media

• More than 170 million people reached through media• Most intense exposure in Scandinavia, Middle East

and India

Number of inspired people?

Lectures

• 135 lectures performed over the world• Focus on hard of hearing children and youths• Message:

– Live your dream despite your hearing loss– Don´t give up– Find other ”paths” to reach your goal

How to use WFH in your country

• Write about it in your member magazine (a good story to tell)

• Send the story to general media – Proven way to market your organisation,

decrease stigma and show that everyting is possible if you are given the right conditions

• Include WFH in a seminar or other activity (I will continue to give lectures)

Website

www.worldflightforhearing.com

”The eagle has landed”